Flying-machine.



v. IL. RODRIGUEZ. FLYING MACHIINE. APPLITION FILED JUNE 22, 1912.v l

Patented May 13, 1913.

V. L. RODRIGUEZ.

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'V. L. RODRIGUEZ.

lFLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22., 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

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' 'his ./Iltorney,j

v WHA/5555s v. LQRODRIGUBZ.

FLYING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNEZZ, 1912.

Patented May 13, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

[NI/'EN TOR To allwhom t may concern.'

vllli't'l'lfll` LENOARD RODRIGUEZ, 0F DOUGLAS, BIZONA.

FLYING-MACHINE'.

lpecmoation ot Letters Patent.

Patented May 13, 1.913.

Application filed June 22, 1012. letti1 No. 705,815.

Be it known that I, VINCENTE LjRooar eUaz; a citizen of thellnited States, residing claimed.

at Dou l'as, in the county of Cochise and State o Arizona, have invented certain new andl useful Improvements in Flying-Maohines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.l A

This invention relates to flyin machines and has special reference to a ying machine of the helicopter type. v

improve and simplify the general-construction of machines of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this charac-ter -with an improved balancing weight whereby' thecenter of gravity may be varied in they fore and aft direction thus enabling the helicopter shaft to be 4placed at di erent positions with reference to the horizontal. l

With the above and other objects in view, this invention consists in general. of certain novel constructions, .combinations and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described in the speciication, 'illustrated in the drawings, and specifically In the accompanying drawings, like'characters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section 'ofa flying machine constructed in accordance with .this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of such a machine taken above the ground wheels.

, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail side view, partly in section, of the shifting weight mecha; nism. Fig. 4 is a similar view at right angles to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail plan of the driving mechanism. Fig. 6 is a side view of the mechanism shown in i' Fig. 5. Fig. `7 is a partial end view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Fig. '8 is a -side elevation of the seat for the driver showing the lever arrangement used in steering the invention. Fig. 9 is a plan of the drivers seat. Fig. 10 is'a'detail section through the rudder used to steer the device horizontally showing the connectionsbetween the controlling lever and said rudder. Fig. 11 is a `detail v'iew showing a portion of the mechanisml used to control the steering of the A ouiid wheels.

T e mainl frame of l this invention consists of`a pair of diamondshaped bicycle frames The principal object of the invention is to 20 connected at suitable points by cross braces 21. Supported on one of the cross braces 21 is the drivers seat 22. In the rear fork 23 of each frame is held a driving wheel 24 while extending through the front member of each frame is a steering post 25 terminatingvbelow in a fork 26 wherein is held a wheel 27. Extending rearwardly from each ofthe steering posts 25 is a steering lever 28 and these steering levers are connected by means of va transverse bar 29 so that when one of the steering levers 29 is moved the other will be moved likewise. Extending between thetop members of the two frames 2O is a bar 29 and asimilar bar 30 connects the forward lower members.`

This bar 30 is an arch bar and the bars 29 and 30 are held in position by means of clips,

ya collar 35 firmly fixed to the shaft and from this collar to the outer ends of the helix blades extend braces 36. On the lower end of the shaft 33 there is grovided a beveled gear 37 which meshes wit a beveled gear 38 carried on a stub shaft 39 supported in a boss 40 formed. on the lower end of thesleeve 32. Furthermore this stub shaft carries a sprocket 41A whichis connected by means of a sprocket chain 42 with a sprocket 43 fixed upon -a shaft 44 Whereon are mounted the rear` wheels 24. Furthermore on this shaft 44 is a sprocket 45 which is connected bv means of a chain lit-with a sprocket 47 fixed upon a crank shaft 48 supported in brackets 49 extending from the-lower end of the when the driver operates the pedals 51 motion will be transmitted through the various sprocket chains and the machine thus will be driven rapidly along the ground. At the same time the helix will be caused .to rotate through the medium of the beveled gears and will lift the device in the air.

In order to steer the device while moving over the ground there is provided at one side of the drivers seat a l ver 52 which works in a quadrant guide 5 and is provided with a handle 54 which projects up adjacent the drivers seat. This lever 52 is connected bv means of a link 55 with an arm 56 carried on a rock shaft 57 which is iid journaled in one of thc brace members 21. This rock shaft 57 is also provided with a rock arm 58 wherein is a slot 59 and a pin 6() on the bar 29 is received in this slot so that as the lever is moved in like manner will the ground wheel at the frontof the device be caused to turn to the right or left, thus steering the device over the ground.

In order to steer the device while in the air there are attached to the frame certain brace members 6l at the upper part thereof and certain other lower brace members 62. Journalcd in these brace members is a vertical shaft 63 whereon is a frame 6a carrying a fabric 65 thus forming a rudder lying in a vertical plane. At the drivers seat is pivoted a lever 66 having the usual handle 67 and connected at its lower end by a link 68 to a link 69 which is in turn connected to an f arm 70 projecting from the member 63 so that as the lever 66 is operated the rudder will be caused to move to one side or the other.

In order to regulate the position of the shaft 33 with reference to the horizontal there is provided on the sleeve 32 a boss 7l carrying a stub shaft 72 whereon is mounted a drum 73 having a handle 74 projecting therefrom. Around this drum is wound an endless cord 75 and at the forward end of the device the frames carry downwardly projecting braces 76 which in turn support sheaves 77. At the rear end of the machine the braces 62 are continued `downwardly and support a sheave 78. The lower ends of the braces 62 and 76 are connected by a horizontal rod 79. The endless band or cord 75 is trained over these pulleys and is connected to a carriage 80 wherein is supported a flange wheel 81 which rides upon the rod 79. Depending from this carriage is a yoke 82 provided with a downwardly eX- tending stem 83 whereon a counterweight 84 is held by means of a nut 85. In operating this portion of the device when it is desired to ascend in a vertical direction theV u. counterweight 84 is moved along the rod 79 by rotating the drum 73 until the shaft 33 is vertical. The motionwill be directly upward except for the drift occasioned byA the wind or other current of air, and this i movingV properlyoperator* no longer observes the earth moving beneath' drift may be compensated for b the Welght 84 along the rod 79 an adjusting the rudder 65 until the him.

When it is desired to move the devicein a forward direction the Weight 84 is run forward on the rod 79 and-according to the position of this weight a certain proportion of the lifting force will be used as a propulsive force. In like manner by moving the weight backward the machine may be made to move backward.

It will be obvious that while the crank shaft here shown is operated by man power any suitable form of engine may be employed to actuate the crank shaft without altering the remainder of the device.,

It is obvious' that many minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material. principles thereof and it is therefore not wished to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described, but it is wished to include all such as properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

l. In a device of the kind described, a pair of bicycle frames, steering and driving wheels carried by said frames, transverse members connecting said frames in parallel relation, a sleeve extending vertically with reference to said frames, a shaft rotatable in said sleeve and having a collar on the upper end of the sleeve to limit the movement of the shaft through the sleeve, a helix on the upper end of the shaft, braces extending from said collarto said helix, means to drive said driving wheels and shaft, and means to steer .said machine.

2. .In a device of the kind described, a pair of .bicycle frames, steering and driving wheels carried by said frames, transverse members connecting said frames in parallel relation, a sleeve extending vertically withl reference to said frame, a shaft rotatable in said sleeve and having a collar Ion the upper end of the sleeve to limit the j movement of the shaft through the sleeve, a A'helix on the upper end of the shaft,pbraces extendingvfrom said collar to said helix, means to drive said driving Wheels and shaft, means to steer said machine, and means to vary the center of gravity of the machina In `testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses. i vINcENTE LENOARD RonRIeUEz.

' Witnesses:

DANIEL J. TRAVIS,

J oHN PETERSON; 

